Tributes flow for Oscar-winning composer, Vangelis Papathanassiou, after his death aged 79

·

Oscar-winning Greek composer, Vangelis Papathanassiou, known globally as Vangelis, has died in Paris at the age of 79, a law firm representing the artist has announced.

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and other government officials expressed their condolences on Thursday after news of Vangelis’ death emerged.

“Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer among us,” Mitsotakis tweeted and later added in a statement that Vangelis “has set off on his great voyage” from where he will always “send us his music.” 

Greek Foreign Affairs Minister, Nikos Dendias, called him in a tweet “a distinguished Greek composer who became internationally prominent,” and thanked him for what he contributed to music, culture and Greece.

Opposition leader, Alexis Tsipras, also sent his condolences and said: “There are few who can add the name ‘global’ next to their names, and Vangelis Papathanassiou was a Global Greek.”

“A pioneer of electronic music, but one always remaining in touch with the roots of musical tradition. His is a massive loss and yet at the same time a presence beyond space and time,” Tsipras added.

Vangelis was born near the city of Volos in Greece in 1943, and he started composing music at the age of 4, giving his first public performance at the age of 6. Vangelis began his music career as a self-taught artist, but he later studied classical music, painting and film directing at the Fine Arts Academy in Athens.

He formed his first group, ‘Forminx’, in 1960. After moving to Paris in 1968 he formed the group ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ with another artist that was also destined to become an international star, Demis Roussos.

Greek composer Vangelis in 1976. Photo: Michael Putland / Getty Images.

In 1975, Vangelis moved to London, where he set up the cutting-edge ‘Nemo’ studios, and a little later released his first music collection ‘Heaven & Hell’.

Vangelis is best-known for writing the unforgettable Academy Award-winning score for the film “Chariots of Fire.” He also scored the soundtracks for Ridley Scott’s ‘Blade Runner’ (1982), Roman Polanski’s ‘Bitter Moon’ (1992), and Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’ (2004), among many others.

Source: AMNA.gr.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Magna Graecia – Part 4: From Colony to Colossus: Syracuse and Hellenism in Sicily

Syracuse (in present-day Sicily) was founded in 734 BCE by settlers from Corinth and Tenea, led by their oikist (founder), Archias.

Scam no more: Protecting what’s most important with Evan Frangos

Hailing from Ikaria, Greece, Evan is also a Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator, specialising in recovering funds lost to scams and hacks.

Upcoming Sydney lecture will explore the Greek Civil War in Greek literature

The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) will delve into the history of the Greek Civil War as presented in Greek literature.

Greek olive oil in Japan: Health, heritage and authenticity

At the Olive Japan International Olive Oil Competition, Greek olive oils earned 12 Gold Medals and 36 Silvers.

The Greek island tourists haven’t overrun

Unlike Santorini, which draws up to 3.4 million visitors annually, the island of Kea remains largely under the radar.

You May Also Like

Greece slips in global happiness rankings

Greece has dropped 17 places in the newly released World Happiness Report, now ranking 81st out of more than 140 countries.

Northcote High reaches new heights with major upgrades

Students at Northcote High School now have access to a brand-new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Building.

Almost one month later, Melbourne celebrates Greek National Day with parade

Thousands of Greek Australians gathered at South Melbourne FC's Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park for the annual Greek Independence Day parade.